Knitting-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. J; GULIG'K & WHUMPHRE-Y. KNITTING MACHINE.

No.459,827. Patented Sept. 22,1891.

Aiiley J amok/(1 William Him hrqy (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 2. A. J.GULICK &wW. HUMPHREY. KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 459,827. PatentedSept. '22, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASHLEY J. GULICK AND l/VILLIAM HUMPHREY, OF CLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,827, datedSeptember 22,1891.

Application filed February 26, 1891- Serial No. 382,891. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known we, ASHLEY J. GULICK and WILLIAM HUMPHREY, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Olearfield, in the county of Clear-field andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Knitting-Machin e,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of knitting-machines which areknown as circularknitting machines and which are employed principallyfor knitting tubular fabrics; and among its objects is to provide amachine of this class in which the needle-carrying cylinder shall beinterchangeable and detachable to admit of a cylinder of a differentsize being used when fabric of a different diameter is to be produced,thus enabling seamless fabrics of various diameters to be produced bythe same machine-by merely using different cylinders.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the frame that theoperating mechanism or gearing may be used in connection with cylindersof different diameters by mounting the said gearing upon a slide whichis mounted adjustably with relation to the main frame.

A further object of the invention is to improve and to simplify thegeneral construction of the machine.

\Vith these ends in view the invention consists in the improvedconstruction, arrangement, andcornbination of parts, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a front elevation of aknitting-machine constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. dis acentral longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional Viewtaken on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the machine with one of the reducing-rings and a smaller cylinder in position.Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a reducing-ring with the cylindermounted therein. Fig. Sis a perspective detail view of a part of theoperating mechanism.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

1 designates the base or frame of the machine, which is composed of aring provided at one side with an opening 2 and at the opposite sidewith a flange 3, which latter may be provided with perforations, as 4,to receive screws or other fastening devices, by

means of which the said base or frame may be secured in position foroperation to a table or bench. The ends of the said base adjacent to theopening 2 are providedwith arms 5, having longitudinal slots 6. Theinner side of the frame 1 is provided with a flange 7, and upon theupper side of said frame are mounted a series of radially-adjustableplates 8, having slots 9 to receive the screws or bolts 10, by means ofwhich they are secured in position.

11 designates a cylinder, which is provided on its outer side withvertical grooves or recesses 12 to receive the needles. Said cylinder isalsoprovided with a stationary annular hoop or band 13 to secure theneedles in the grooves 12, and it furthermore has near its lower edge anannular groove 14 to receive the inner edges of the radially-adjustableplates 8 upon the base or frame of the machine. These adjustable platesserve to support the cylinder in position upon the base or frame in sucha manner as to permit it to-revolve thereon, the bearing for thecylinder being formed by the inner edges of the plates 8 engaging theannular groove 14 of said cylinder. The lower edge of the cylinder isprovided with a circumferential series of teeth or cogs 15. Said cogs,which are normally raised a short distance above the annular flange 7 ofthe frame, are arranged in alignment with the verticalneedle-carryinggrooves 12, as will be clearly seen in several figures of the drawings,the object of this being simply to cause the needles to be squarelyengaged by the operating mechanism, which is to be hereinafterdescribed.

16 designates a plate which is provided with set-screws 17, by means ofwhich it is connected adjustably with the arms 5 of the base or frame 1,said set-screws being extended through the slots 6 in said arms. Theplate 16 is provided with an upright l8, forming a bearing for the shaft19. Said shaft carries a spur-wheel 21, having the operatingcrank andmeshing with a pinion 22 upon a counter-shaft 23, which is journaled insuitable bearings 24 upon the under side of the plate 16. The upper sideof thelatter is also provided with an upright 25, having arms orbrackets 26, to which are secured the ends of a hoop or band 27,partially encircling the cylinder, as will be clearly seen by referenceto the drawings. This band or hoop surrounds or encircles the cylinderloosely, so as to per mit the latter to be freely rotated. The side ofsaid 1100p opposite to the upright 25 will sag slightly, as shown in thedrawings, and the upper edge of said hoop will thus to all intents andpurposes form an inclined track, along which the needles are guided tothe operating mechanism. The brackets 26, to which the ends of the hoop27 are attached by means of set-screws 28, are provided withinwardlyextending arms 29, forming a continuation of the track or guideformed by the upper edge of the hoop 27, thus preventing the needlesfrom dropping until they are engaged by the operating mechanism.

The upright 25 is provided on its inner side with vertical guides 30 fora vertically-reciprocating plate or cross-head 31, which is providedwith lugs or projections 32, adapted to engage the shoulder 33 of eachsuccessive needle for the purpose of imparting to the latter a verticalreciprocating movement. The plate or crosshead is connected with andoperated by a pitman 34, the lower end of which has a ring or strap 35encircling a a disk 36, which is eccentrically mounted upon thecounter-shaft 23. The latteris also provided at its inner end with adouble cam 37, having the double bearing portions 37 and 37 out ofalignment with each other and engaging a frame 38 at the lower end of apawl 39, which is provided with a slot 40, by means of which it ismounted pivotally and in such a manner as to be capable of beingvertically reciprocated upon a pin or stud etl. The latter is verticallyadjustable in a slot 42 in one of the frames or brackets 24, that dependfrom the under side of the plate 16 to form bearings for thecounter-shaft 23. The said frame 38 is provided with a centralrectangular opening 38, within which said cam works, and said space isinclosed between the parallel upper and lower parts 38 and the parallelside parts 38, which are in different vertical planes with each otherand form the bearing-surface, which are engaged by the bearing-faces ofthe portions 37 and 37 of said cam, respectively.

It will be observed that when the countershaft 23 is rotated by means ofthe spurwheel 21, engaging or meshing with the pinion 22, the cam 37serves to impart a vertically-reciprocating combined with an oscillatingor vibrating movement to the pawl 39, causing the latter to engage theteeth or cogs 15 at the lower edge of the cylinder 11, thus imparting tosaid cylinder an intermittent rotary movement to the extent of the spaceof one tooth for each throw of the pawl. The adjustable fulcrum-pin ll,upon which the said pawl is mounted, enables it to be adjusted tooperate in connection with cylinders in which the teeth 15, andconsequently the needle-carrying grooves, are differently spaced. Itwill be observed that, owing to the compound movement of the dog or pawl39, the operation of the latter to actuate the cylinder is effected in avery brief space of time, or while the counter-shaft 23 makes only avery small portion of a revolution. The operation of said pawl to engagethe cylinder is timed to take effect while the reciprocating plate orcross-head 31 is at the upper limit of its movement, thus carrying oneneedle out of engagement and the next one into engagement with the lugs32 of the said cross-head, while the latter remains practicallystationary. It will also be seen that the construction of this operatingmechanism is such as to enable the machine to be operated at aconsiderable rate of speed, and likewise enable it to be reversed or thecounter-shaft to be rotated in either direction.

The needles of the machine which are (lesignated 43 are of ordinarywell-known construction, and inasmuch as they form no part of thepresent invention only a few such needles have been shown in position inthe machine.

The upper end of the upright 25 is provided with eyes or perforations 44for the passage of the yarn, and the upper end of said upright likewisehas a pivoted arm or plate 45, provided with a loop or guide 46 and aneye or perforation 47. A tension-spring l8, secured to the upright 25,is likewise provided with an eye 49 for the passage of the yarn. Thelatter is threaded first through one of the perforations 414:, thenthrough the other of said perforations, next through the eye 49 of thetension spring, next through the loop 46, and finally through the eye 47of the pivoted arm or plate 45. The latter, it will be observed, may beeasily thrown to either side of the upright 25, so as to guide the yarnin the desired direction, according to the direction in which it isdesired to rotate the cylinder 11. The plate is provided withlaterally-extending lugs 50, adapted to rest upon the upper edge of theupright 25 to support the said plate 46 in position for operation.

51 designates a reducingring, which is adapted to be mounted in theframe 1 and to be supported upon the flange 7 of the latter when thecylinder 11 has been removed, said reducing-ring being provided with aflange 52, adapted to rest upon the said flange 7. The saidreducing-ring is not a complete annulus, but is provided with an opening53, adapted to register with the opening 2 in the main frame, which isfor the purpose of enabling the needles to be moved downwardly duringthe operation of the machine. It is proposed to furnish in connectionwith each machine a series of reducing-rings (two or more) havingcylinders of different diameters to enable work of various kinds to beperformed, the

exterior diameter of all the reducing-rings being alike and theirinterior diameter being different, according to the sizes of thecylinders mounted therein. Said reducing-rings are provided on theirupper sides with radiallyadjustable plates, as54, to engage the annulargrooves 14 near the lower edges of the cylinders mounted therein, in thesame manner as the radiallyadjustable plates 8 upon the base-frame 1.Said plates 8 may also perform the function of retaining thereducingrings in position when used. I

When one of the reducing-rings, with the cylinder mounted therein, isplaced in position in the main frame, it becomes necessary to adjust theoperating mechanism in such a manner as to enable the pawl 39 to engagethe teeth or cogs at the lower edge of the smaller cylinder. Thisadjustment may be readily effected by simply loosening the setscrews 17,thus enabling the plate 16, carrying the operating mechanism, to bemoved inwardly and to be adjusted to the proper position, as willbereadily understood. For each auxiliary cylinder a hoop or band, as 27,is of course to be provided of the proper size.

The operation of our invention and its advantages will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. Themethod of threading the needles is well understood,the loop being formedand the knitting accomplished in the manner in which the same iseffected on circular machines having a series of independently-operatingneedles controlled in an analogous manner, and it will be readily seenthat when necessary the superfluous needles may be very easily removedby simply loosening or detaching one end of the hoop or band 27, suchneedles being likewise very readily restored when desired.

The general construction of the machine is exceedingly simple, and thecylinders may be.

Very readily and quickly interchanged. The adjustment of the operatingmechanism may likewise be very easily and quickly effected.

We desire it to be understood that while we have in the foregoingdescribed the preferred construction of our invention, we do not desireto be understood as limiting ourselves to the precise details ofconstruction herein setforth, but reserve the right to any such changesas may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In acircular-knitting machine, the combination of the base or frame, theannularlygrooved cylinder, and bearings or supports for said cylindermounted adjustably upon the base or frame and adapted to engage theannular groove of the cylinder, thus supporting the latter 'evolubly,substantially as set forth.

2. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with the revolublecylinder having vertical grooves to accommodate the needles and providedwith an annular band to secure said needles in their respective grooves,of an inclined ring or band forming a needle track and securer, looselyencircling the said cylinder and having its ends connected to a suitablesupport, substantially as and for the purpose. set forth.

3. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the revolublecylinder having vertical grooves, the needles mounted in said grooves,the upright having a vertically-reciprocating cross-head provided withlugs or pro- 3' ections to engage the shoulders of the needles, and ahoop or band loosely encircling the cylinder and having its endsconnected with the said upright, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

' 4. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with the'revolublecylinder having the grooves and the needles mounted in said grooves, ofan upright havinga vertically-reciprocating cross-head adapted to engagethe needles and laterally-extending brackets, a hoop or band looselyencircling the cylinder and having its ends attached to said brackets,and arms extending laterally from the latter and serving to form continuations of the track or guide formed by said hoop or band,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the base or frame,the revoluble cylinder having vertical needle carrying grooves andprovided at its lower edge with teeth or cogs alternating with saidgrooves, a ring or band loosely encircling the cylinder and having itsends attached to brackets on opposite sides of an upright, avertically-reciprocating cross-head mounted upon said upright and havinglugs or projections to engage the needles, a verticallyreciprocating andvibrating or oscillating pawl adapted to engage the teeth at the loweredge of the cylinder, and suitable operating mechanism, all constructedand arranged substantially as set forth.

6. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with the revolublecylinder having the needle-carrying grooves and provided with teeth orcogs at its lower edge, of an upright having a reciprocating cross-headadapted to engage the needles, a shaft having an eccentric-disk suitablyconnected with said crosshead, a cam mounted upon said shaft adjacent tothe eccentric-disk, a vertically-movable pawl having a frame engagingthe said cam and provided with a vertical slot, and a fulcrum-pinextending through the said slot and mounted adj ustably in a verticalslot in a suitable bracket or hanger, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

7. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with a revolublecylinder provided at its lower edge with teeth or cogs, of a verticall yreciprocating and vibrating pawl adapted to engage said teeth or cogs, avertically-adjustable fulcrum-pin for said pawl,

and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

8. In a circular-knitting machine, the comblnation, with a base or framehaving a suitable supporting -flange, of a reducingring adapted to besupported on said flange and having a revoluble needle-carryingcylinder, and a radially-adjustable supporting-plate suitably connectedwith the base or frame and having mechanism whereby cylinders ofdifferent sizes may be intermittently rotated and whereby needles ofsaid cylinders may be operated, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

9. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of a base or frame, areducing-ring adapted to be mounted detachably upon said frame andcarrying a revoluble cylinder having the vertically-reciprocatingneedles, an adjustable supporting-plate having set-screws extendingthrough suitable slots in the base or frame, and mechanism mounted uponsaid adjustable plate for guiding the yarn and for operating thecylinder and the needles, substantially as herein set forth.

10. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with a base orframe having a support-ing-fiange, of a reducing-ring adapted to besupported upon said flange and having radially-adjustab1ebearing-plates, and a needle-carrying cylinder having an annular grooveengaging said bearing-plates, su bstantially as and for the purpose setforth.

11. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with the revolublecylinder having vertical grooves to accommodate the needles, of a ringor band loosely encircling the said cylinder and having its endsconnected to a suitable support, said ring or band being thus adapted tosag at one side, so as to form an inclined track up which the needlesareguided, and mechanism for operating said needles, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

12. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of the base orframe, the revoluble cylinder having vertical needle carrying grooves,and provided at its lower edge with teeth or cogs alternating with saidgrooves, a vertically reciprocating cross head havin lugs or projectionsto engage the needles, a

vertically reciprocating and vibrating or oscillating pawl adapted toengage the teeth at the lower edge of the cylinder, and suitableoperating mechanism, all constructed and arranged substantially as setforth.

13. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination, with a revolublecylinder provided at its lower edge with teeth or cogs, of a verticallyreciprocating and vibrating pawl adapted to engage said teeth or cogs,and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaflixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ASHLEY J. GULICK. WILLIAM II UMPI'IREY. Witnesses:

ALFRED MITCHELL, JOHN II. MARTIN.

